St. Louis Furnace Repair – What’s the Smell from Heating Ducts?

Some smells from your heating ducts are harmless but others can indicate a problem and require immediate repair.

We are now witnessing the peak of winter here in St. Louis and the last thing you want is a malfunctioning furnace. In these cold months, a well-functioning furnace is critical for your comfort. So, it’s important to be aware of the things that could indicate a problem with the furnace, such as certain smells from the heating ducts.

It is normal to get some smells off and on, and while many smells are harmless, there are others that can indicate a potential problem that requires immediate attention. St. Louis HVAC technicians believe that it is important for homeowners to know which smells are normal which require them to take an action. In this post, St. Louis Furnace experts will talk about some common smells that can come from the ductwork, what they may indicate, and what you can do about them.

Smoke: If you smell smoke, just leave the house immediately and get help. Even if you don’t directly see smoke coming from the furnace, it is best to get out of the house and call for help.

Moldy smell: It could be a sign that you need to change the filters in your HVAC system. If you can access the air filter, you can change it yourself. However, if the smell still persists, you should call up a St. Louis HVAC contractor to diagnose the exact problem.

Natural gas: Although natural gas doesn’t have a smell of its own, sulfuric odor is added to make it easy to detect any leakage. If you smell natural gas, get out of the house and call 911 right away. Do not attempt any DIY diagnosis or repairs on the electrical equipment. Get out of the house before you call for help. Even a small spark can ignite the gas and cause a fire or explosion.

Melting plastic/rubber or electrical burning smell: This smell could be an indication of a malfunctioning component of HVAC equipment and could be a potential fire hazard. When you get this smell, you should check your registers. If you cannot find anything, call up your HVAC Company and let them diagnose and repair the problem.

Burning smell: It’s the same smell you get when your gas furnace first kicks on for the season. This smell doesn’t last very long and usually isn’t a cause for concern. However, if the smell doesn’t go away, you should call up the HVAC technicians right away.

The best way to prevent problems, like these, from occurring is to schedule preventive maintenance of your HVAC system before the onset of any season. This will help identify potential problems before they turn into something bigger and it will ensure that the system is running at its peak capacity when you need it the most.

Have you experienced any such smells? If so, you should have a professional St. Louis Furnace Repair contractor examine your system and diagnose the root cause of the problem.